


Classic Cool

by oldestcharm



Category: Bartimaeus - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: Awkwardness, F/M, First Dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 22:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20299288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldestcharm/pseuds/oldestcharm
Summary: Kitty realises soon enough that Nathaniel has no idea how to behave like a normal person, much less so on a date.





	Classic Cool

Kitty realises soon enough that Nathaniel has no idea how to behave like a normal person, much less so on a date. He’s both awkward and hostile, but perhaps that is exactly what draws her in. She likes hostile, she’s exactly that herself and there is nothing better than a good exchange of words. She thinks Nathaniel likes it too. Otherwise he’d never have called Bartimaeus back. He seems to enjoy the friendly mockery when it doesn’t cross any lines. Kitty wonders if he’s making an effort to take himself less seriously. She doesn’t want him to change, she’d be willing to put up with it for a lifetime, but she is careless. She likes to tease. She doesn’t want to see Nathaniel genuinely upset.

They sit across each other, Kitty barely managing to keep back her smile and Nathaniel — well, Nathaniel’s looking like he might bolt any time soon. He’s at the edge of his seat, not looking at her, instead favouring to play with his utensils. His knife, to be more exact. He’s holding it as though he needs to shove it at someone any moment. It’s sort of endearing.

Then again, Kitty doesn’t expect him to be comfortable. It’s not as though he’d asked her out. She was the one to suggest a dinner date. And she’s pretty sure she made it clear it was a date, though she’s having some doubts now. Or perhaps Nathaniel’s having doubts? If he is, she’s hoping he’s doubting whether it is a date or not rather than his willingness to go out with Kitty.

God, she’s so fucked. She never thought she’d be into this. Uptight that is. And what’s more is that he’s a politician. Or was a politician. She’s not even sure at this point. All she knows is that he spends his days locked up in a stuffy room with a bunch of stale books and pentagrams. She _hopes _he’s doing research. And that’s the best case scenario.

“Are you okay?” She asks after they’ve both been silent for three minutes.

Nathaniel looks at her, possibly for the first time since they sat down. He clears his throat, squares his shoulders, manages to look almost composed and then — “No. Absolutely not,” he admits and looks as though he wants to slap a hand to his forehead.

Kitty just looks at him. He’s — well, he’s _something_. Attractive, that is. He’s dressed down for their date, which is actually a relief and a lot more fitting for the venue. He’s still wearing dress shoes and dove grey trousers, but the white t-shirt is actually a refreshing look on him. Kitty wonders what it means that’s she’s more impressed by a casual outfit on a man than an actual suit. She hopes Bartimaeus will never find out about this.

“You realise I’m not trying to — I don’t know — usurp you, or whatever?”

“Yes,” he snaps, and immediately looks as though he regrets his words. Kitty feels kind of bad for him. Probably because she is hopelessly attached, but also because it’s probably a touchy subject. She wonders what kind of childhood he’s had, how it’s influenced his personality, his reactions to the world. Suddenly, she feels out of her depth. She wants to know more — a lot more, but Nathaniel’s unlikely to open up in such a public setting. Kitty stares at their empty plates, the menus that they haven’t yet managed to look through and makes a decision.

“Do you — would you be terribly opposed to getting out of here?”

Nathaniel blinks at her, dumbfounded. “I’m sorry?”

“Let’s just find a park or something. Fuck, even your backyard will do. We’ll swing by the grocery store, get some stuff for a cheese platter and find a few bottles of expensive wine. It’ll be neat.”

“Neat,” Nathaniel repeats and for the first time during the entire evening he cracks a bit of a smile. Well, not really a smile. It’s more of a smirk, but Kitty will take that. She’ll take anything if it means they’re both comfortable. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do with a grocery store.”

Kitty grins at him, delighted. God, she wants it. She wants it a lot.

“Come on, Nathaniel. Let’s bolt,” she says and gets up from her seat, holding out a hand. He smiles pleasantly, for proper this time and lets himself be pulled up.

They leave the restaurant just as the waiter is approaching to retrieve their menus. She feels a tiny pang of guilt, but then again, she’s more thrilled to spend some quality time with Nathaniel. Out of the public eye, just the two of them. It’ll be lovely.

“Yeah, what were you thinking,” Nathaniel says, a teasing tone betraying him.

Kitty snorts. “Don’t pretend you wouldn’t have done the same. Actually, I think it might have turned out worse.”

“Touché,” Nathaniel concedes. “But just so you know, I do like this plan better.”

“Good,” Kitty says and stops him by his sleeve to kiss him. If he is startled by this turn of events, he doesn’t show it.

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in 15 minutes. i haven't felt such ease writing a story in _years_. it would have gone quicker if i could only type faster. is this what inspiration feels like?? i can't remember, but like — wow!!
> 
> p.s. it's so obviously not betaed. i didn't even read this over myself, but i fuckin' bet it's not terrible. after all, i was _inspired_.


End file.
